The Golden Years
by Fallen Seraphina
Summary: They were twelve and full of hope for the future. One wanted freedom and adventure on the open seas, the other just wanted freedom. Neither will give up on their goals as they grow, as they face childhood, as they begin their journey to becoming pirates. The Great Pirate Era? The Pirate King? These have yet to come. The world was very different, all these years ago.
1. The Girl on the Shore

_Run. Run until you make it to shore, then find a boat. Any boat._

 _Just get away, fast as you can. They can't find you after that._

 _Just, run..._

* * *

The sun was just beginning to set below the horizon, turning the sky soft shades of pink and purple. The wind blew steadily, slowly gaining more and more speed as the shadows stretched across the shore. There was a comforting silence, accompanied by the waves splashing against the pink sand below.

The small, ruined boat washed up on the shore in that late afternoon, quietly disrupting the calm of the beach. It was barely holding together, the wood rotted and torn apart from the rough waters. It slumped into the pinkish sand. The wind blew roughly as the tide began to rush along the rickety boat's bottom, threatening to pull it back into the sea. A figure moved within the boat, slumped against its side.

"Candy! Candy, get away from the shore, the tides are picking up!" A hoarse voice suddenly called out from the edge of a cliff top. Bellow was a twisting path leading to a small shoreline, and there stood a small girl. Her light blue hair fell unevenly in her face. She lowed the toy telescope from her face, eyes fixed on what she thought was a fishing boat. Her brows furrowed.

She glanced back at the man who had spoken, frowning slightly. "I see a boat over there, Grandpa! I think there's someone inside!" She called back up to him, collapsing her telescope and rushing off down the beach without another word.

"What?!" He nearly yelled, hurrying down the pathway and towards his granddaughter. He nearly froze when he saw what she had seen; the fishing boat, riddled with holes and decay. Much of it looks weeks old, but some he had no doubt came from the storm last night. But what was most frightening was what was inside. A small child, hardly even younger than Candy. Her hair was braided slightly, though it was hard to tell with how matted it was. She was shivering- the only sign that she was alive. As he approached, he could see his granddaughter leaning over to examine the girl, asking if she was awake but getting no reply.

"Candy, come here please; I'll take care of this." He gently grabbed Candy's hand, guiding her away from the boat. She was easily moved, but didn't go far. He crouched down at the edge, examining her. "She's bleeding... Possibly has a broken arm."

"We're gonna take care of her, right? We won't leave her, right?" Candy asked behind him, blue eyes staring widely at the stranger. He stared at the small, shaking body as he contemplated what to do. Slowly, hesitantly, he turned back to his granddaughter. When she received a nod from him, she smiled. "I'll go tell grandma!" She stood, turning and running back up the shoreline and up with pathway.

He sighed, reaching out a hand to the girl, only to have her flinch away. He paused, studying the girl. Her eyes had opened, wide green eyes staring cautiously up at him. One had a filmy cover over it, making it come off as a lighter color. Was she blind? "I won't hurt you... I just want to get you somewhere safe." He felt his heart clench at how her body went rigid at the word 'safe', as if that word alone set her on edge. "I just want to help…" He tried again, moving his hand more slowly to lift her up into his arms. She made no move to struggle, allowing his to pick her up gingerly. Her head sagged against his chest, barely able to keep upright. He'd come back for the boat later, if it's still there in the morning.

He walked back up the shore, the small girl slowly calming down in his arms. She clung to his shirt, continuing to shiver. Her eyes had closed again, and she seemed to have fallen asleep. He sighed, looking down at her. "... Just where did you come from?"

* * *

"Her back!" His wife gasped as she helped him get the strange girl bandaged. And she had good reason to. There was no doubt what the dark cross burned into her back was: the mark of the Silver Cross Trading Company. Anything with that brand belonged to them, people included. The girl was a runaway slave. The man looked back at his wife, frowning. Her eyes were wide with worry and fear. "We need to do something." She whispered, She grabbed her husband's arm, shaking slightly at the sight.

"I know we do... But she's only a child." He mumbled, turning back and continuing to wrap her wounds. After a moment, he spoke again. "We can't just throw her out..." He continued, brows furrowed in thought.

"... We'll be the only ones to know she has it. We could keep her safe here." The woman said softly, still shaking. She still seemed uneasy about it, but she didn't want to see the girl hurt either. She took a deep breath and turned back towards the door, "Candy? Could you come here for a moment?" She called as the man finished bandaging the girl.

The small girl walked in slowly, "Is she gonna be okay now?" She asked quietly, walking over to stand beside her grandpa. "Will she be-" She blinked, pausing as she saw the brand on the girl's back. "What's that?" She asked.

"She'll be fine, just needs some rest. So no loud games for a while, okay?" When he received a nod, he continued. "This..." He knew he had to pick his words carefully, "This is a very bad mark, okay? The other villagers can't see it, it'll get this girl into a lot of trouble, you understand?" He got another nod as a reply. "So I'm asking that you keep this mark a secret, okay? No one can know."

She stared at the girl, then at her grandpa. "A secret? Like a _super secret secret_?" The elderly couple nodded. She smiled, and both grandparents smiled as well. "Okay! I'll be the best secret keeper in the world!"

"That's good, Candy." He praised, earning a small giggle from the blue haired girl. He stood with a grunt, grabbing the damp washcloth from beside the girl. "Now, I'll go get some more things..." He announced.

Her grandmother stood as well, casting a final glance towards the two girls before following her husband. Her dark eyes shone with worry, but she said nothing. Both came back with more bandages and a sling. Candy moved away as they continued to work, gently cleaning and wrapping her cuts and broken arm. She winced at some of the deeper cuts as they stitched them together as best they could, but remained sleeping through it all.

As they began clearing away everything, Candy came to sit beside the sleeping girl once again. Her grandmother stood beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. She slowly reached over, placing a soft kiss on the girl's forehead before smiling gently. "Come on- we should let her rest now." She whispered, "You could help me with dinner. How does that sound?"

The blue haired girl looked at her, nodding her head. "Okay." She answered, letting herself be lead out of the room by the older woman.

The old man hesitated, looking the girl over once more before following the two to the kitchen. He stood in the doorway with the first aid kit in one hand and a candle in the other. His gaze hardened in determination as he watched her; he'd protect her, no matter what. He blew out the candle and closed the door, letting the brunette continue to sleep through the night.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Hello. Fallen here. I'm starting a new story, and will hopefully be coming out with weekly updates for it. Maybe every other week, if I end up doing another multi-chapter story at the same time._

 _4 years ago, Seraphina wrote a short story about our One Piece OC's, Lucca and Candy. At the same time, I also wrote a 6,000 word short story about their origins. And now, 4 years later, I'm redoing it all. I'm fixing up my old story, adding new shit and generally just doing a cleanup for these characters we loved._

 _The goal is gonna be ~80,000 words. I'm at about 10,000 words right now. I'm going to try my best to write everything I want to._

 _In reference to when this story is, Candy meets Lucca at age 12, and they set out at age 18- 73 years before Luffy sets out on his own journey, and 75 years before the current timeline. Whitebeard would've been a year old when they set out, so they're very old. They were around for the Rumbar Pirates and such._

 _The Silver Cross Trading Company is something of my own design, and used in a lot of my stories. Here, it's a trading company found in the South Blue with many ties to slavery and breeding humans. I have another character born into it, but she's from Luffy's time._


	2. Waking Up

Candy sat quietly at the foot of the bed, watching the girl as she slept. Now that everything was done, she could easily make out small details about the girl. Her hair had to be cut to get rid of the matted parts, but she could tell it was brown. The short, uneven strands framed her thin face, falling gently over her bandages. Her face had small cuts covering them, but was for the most part blemish-free. Her eyebrows were furrowed, even in sleep. And her cheeks were flushed. Maybe she had a fever? She'd have to ask grandpa later. But, with as many things as she could see, she still knew next to nothing about the girl. Where did she come from? Why is she hurt? What's the mark on her back? She sighed, "I wish I at least knew your name..."

As if in response to her words, the blue haired girl nearly jumped as a small groan escaped the unconscious girl, her body shifting slightly as her hazy eyes cracked open. Candy stared in shock, eyes wide as the brunette let out a weak cough. Her chest heaved as she tried to curl into a ball, hands gripping the sheets. "You're awake!" She gasped, grinning.

The girl didn't reply, still staring at her through hooded eyes. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but her hoarse voice only made her cough once again. She winced, trying to curl further into herself. She looked miserable and completely out of it with exhaustion and a possible fever. Candy stood slowly, staring for a moment before nodding her head in understanding. "I'll be right back!" She said before turning and hurrying out of the room. "Grandpa!" She called as she reached the stairs, leaning over the railing.

As soon as the blue-haired girl was out of sight, she tried sitting up, flinching when she used her bad arm. She blinked her eyes, looking around the bright room. Everything was neat: a bookshelf in one corner and a piano in another. It all seemed... Peaceful. She glanced over at the window, a small potted flower resting on the sill. Even outside it seemed peaceful, children running down one road and houses scattered unevenly. She smiled lightly, feeling tears brimming over her eyes. "I made it..." She whispered shakily, voice hoarse.

She turned quickly to look back at the door, hearing it swing open. An old man stood in the doorway, eyes staring widely at the girl. She gripped her bed sheets. From the boat earlier... She blinked, seeing the Candy beaming at her from behind her grandpa. He stepped closer, smiling gently. "So you're awake! Well, good to see that!" He laughed, making her shudder. He stopped at seeing the shudder. He lifted his hands, baring them as he approached more slowly. "We were all starting to get a little worried, there- it's been a couple of days since we found you."

She blinked, staring wide-eyed at him for a moment before looking back down at the sheets. "Thank you." She managed, voice barely above a whisper.

"Think nothing of it!" He brushed off her thanks, smiling gently down at her. "We couldn't in conscience leave you there on the shore." He slowly sat down at the end of the bed. Candy stood in the doorstep, grinning as she watched them. "You had some nasty injuries, I gotta say- fractured elbow, broken wrist, a whole lot of cuts and bruises… Not to mention seriously malnourished and dehydrated."

"... Sorry." She said softly, eyes staring at the cast around her arm. It ached.

Once again, he just smiled. "Nothing to be sorry for." He moved to continue speaking but paused and turned back to Candy. "Hey, could you go see if dinner is almost done?"

She blinked, pulling herself up to stand straight. "Okay." She turned and hurried back down to the kitchen, leaving the two alone.

As soon as she was gone, the old man turned back to the girl and took a deep breath. "... Now, I don't wanna scare you, but we do need to talk about where you came from." She tensed immediately, eyes not leaving her now shaking hands. "When we patched you up, we… saw something." He tried to put it delicately.

"You..." Saw my back? She couldn't come to say the entire question, though from the way he nodded, she could only guess that he had. She sunk into the bed, feeling her stomach drop. She shook, "Please... Please don't send me back! Please, I'll do anything!" She looked up at the man, cheeks red as tears began rolling down her face. Her breath came out raggedly.

He leaned closer, bringing his full weight onto the bed. He smiled and shook his head, slowly bringing a hand to rest on her shoulder. She tried to flinch away, but the hand stayed. Firm, and comforting. "You're staying right here, don't you worry. We don't plan on sending you anywhere." Her eyes widened, staring up at the man. She could... Stay?

"I…" She choked out a sob, bringing her good hand to cover her mouth. Her heart was racing in that moment with hesitation and relief. She desperately wanted to believe his words. Her shoulders shook with the force of her sobs, and all the while he simply sat there and let her cry.

"Grandpa, Grammy wants you-" Candy walked back into the room, grin immediately dropping when she saw the brunette's flushed cheeks and tears. "You made her cry!" She gasped.

"What! No, I-" He snapped his head around, trying to defend himself but to no avail. She was already shoving him off the bed, brows furrowed and lips set in a large frown.

"Go bother Grammy or something! Don't make my friends cry!" She scolded.

He opened his mouth to protest until he noticed the small smile that had appeared on the girl's mouth as she watched their exchange. He huffed, smiling a little himself. "I'm going, I'm going!" He stood, letting himself be pushed out of the room by a girl a third of his size.

As soon as he was gone and the door was shut, Candy swung around to face the injured girl. She plopped down on the bed, worry all over her face. "Are you okay? Do I have to beat him up? He wasn't being mean to you, was he?"

She shook her head slowly, utterly perplexed by this girl.

"Are you sure? He can be a meanie sometimes, especially when he tells me i'm not allowed to go pick fights with people in town." She scooted closer, crossing her arms over her chest. "But I'm 12! So I can go fight whoever I want!" She boasted, "But not you-" She added, "You're my friend, so we can't fight."

"O-Okay…?" She answered, still very confused. Her tears had stopped, though, and the shaking had subsided. He blue haired girl's rambling had put her at ease somewhat.

"We're gonna be great friends! And I can show you all my favourite places when you're all better." She grinned, "The island's pretty small, but there's a lot of neat things here! Like there's the bakery- I heard the baker's daughter or something started working there, too… Oh, and the docks! I love the docks. There's always weird people that stop by here, you know? Because we're never in the same place- which also technically means I've been everywhere. Like right now! We just got out of the Grandline, and we're moving towards the East Blue…"

She leaned against the headboard, eyes becoming fixed with the girl in front of her as she rambled on. Her hands move wildly as she talks, eyes bright as she continues talking about the people and places on the strange little island.

"... And the Calm Belt is always a wild ride to travel through- oh!" She stopped her tangent, suddenly looking at the injured girl intensely. She blinked, staring back confused and caught off guard. "I completely forgot!" She leaned forward, "What's your name?" She grinned.

The brunette stared at her in surprise, eyes wide at the question. She'd expected that question to come up sooner or later, but it still caught her by surprise. She took a deep breath, looking down at her hands once again as she worked up the courage to answer. "Its… Lucca." She said finally.

"My name is Lucca."

* * *

 **A/N:** _Hello, Fallen here. Chapter 2 now up and ready, and we're still in the slow-pace of introductions._

 _Sugar Island, the island Candy is from along with her grandparents, is a strange island that seemingly moves through the different Blues all on its own. A log pose can't find it because of this- it's sort of like trying to find Zou with a log pose. It's just not gonna work._ _The island is also famous for having pink sand/dirt and everything that grows there has a strange sweetness to it._

 _I promise the next chapter is gonna be a bit longer- at least 2k words. I'm trying to figure out the best way to split up chapters and not have them be overly long but it's slow going. Hopefully it'll pick up pace soon, but no promises._


	3. Welcome to Town

The following months were spent mostly indoors, lying in bed reading or helping around the house as much she could. They'd reached the East Blue by then and were drifting slowly back towards the Grand Line. She liked it here, surrounded by both calm and excitement whenever. It was new. It'd been just over four months, and Candy was anxious to take the brunette around town.

"Okay, now try moving your wrist?" Candy's grandpa said one day when examining Luca's arm. She did as told, trying to mask the discomfort of moving it after so long. "Does it feel okay?"

She looked at him, nodding her head. "Feels weird…" She said softly, looking back down at it.

He hummed, nodding his head. "It'll feel like that for a while, I'm afraid… It'll take a lot of getting used to." He stood, bundling all the old bandages and cast into his arms. "It should be healed now, though, so just make sure not to break it again." He smiled.

"Does that mean we can go play outside now?" Candy asked, blue eyes bright. She stood in the open doorway, her hair tied back into pigtails. Her shorts were already torn and muddy from running around in the forest all morning.

He pointed at his granddaughter, lips pursed. "Yes, but no roughhousing! None of your dangerous games, got it?" He barked.

The girl pouted from the doorway, walking over and plopping down beside Luca. "I know, grandpa!" She insisted. She grinned at the other girl, then back at her grandpa, "Can I show her around town at least? She's barely left this house!" She bounced in place, ignore the wary glance Luca gave her.

She shifted beside Candy, letting her hair fall in front of her blind eye. She looked between the two, uncertain. "I-I don't think-"

"Oh, that'd be great! Everyone in town's been asking about her. She still needs to learn the layout, too; it'd be a good chance to get started!" He grinned, making Luca just sigh. They weren't listening.

"Can we go down to the ports? We won't pick any fights with sailors, promise!" She didn't wait for an answer, turning to Luca with her signature smile, "Where do you wanna go? There's a lot of places! We have a sweet shop, a grocery store, a bakery, I think we have a flower shop... And of course the ports! There's a lot of cool ships that stop by!"

She gave a small smile, seeing her friend get so excited about showing her around the town. She shifted awkwardly. "Is... Is there a bookstore?" She asked meekly.

Candy's grandpa spoke before she could, "Of course! It's right next to the water dock; they get a lot of old and new books every day from the merchants!" He bellowed, grinning. "So, you like books? What kind?"

She looked downward, "Um... M-Medical books." She mumbled. "And Science journals..." She frowned when he laughed, only to laugh herself when Candy scolded him for laughing.

"Don't be mean, Grandpa!" She said, frowning. She turned back to Lucca and grinned. "You can be like my personal doctor, right? That's great! We'll get you every single book they have!"

"Hey now, don't go saying things like that- you can't just spend all your allowance on books!" The old man interjected.

"Lucca can if she wants to!" Candy retorted. "Now go away, we gotta get dressed!" She shoved at the large man.

He rolled his eyes and smiled. "Okay, okay…" He sighed, standing and exiting the room. The door closed with a click and the blue haired girl turned back to the brunette, grinning.

"Okay, now onto the plan of attack…" She said quietly, leaning forward. Lucca leaned back, trying to keep the hyper girl out of her personal space. "We gotta go to the docks first and foremost! The cook people are always there around noon, you know? We might see some around town too… People like trying to rob the bakery." She hummed, "The bookstore can be next, since its right there too. And then the candy store! I ran out of caramel sweets."

Lucca nodded slowly, trying to process her plan. "Okay." She agreed.

Getting dressed was an adventure all in itself. Candy insisted that she wear something besides an oversized shirt and proceeded to make the brunette try on three different dresses. In the end, she settled on the first one and refused to try on anything else. The blue haired girl just laughed and insisted they buy her some shorts for when they go adventuring into the forest.

"We'll be back for dinner!" Candy said quickly as she tugged Lucca through the house and out the front door. She grinned and looked at Lucca, "You're gonna love it here! There's a lot of funny people, and the food's amazing! Everything tastes so good, and a lotta ships come here for our sugar, since it's so rare. We even get Sea Kings trying to eat the island sometimes!"

Lucca stared incredulously at her friend, trying to pinpoint if she was lying or not. "Are you serious?"

Candy nodded quickly, "Yup! And if you like books, you'll love the bookstore! They have so many weird stories in there! And the owner would probably love to have another customer. He likes people who read a lot." She hummed, grinning. "Everyone in town's gonna like you, probably. They've been waiting to meet you."

"What? Why?" She asked, brows furrowed.

"It's not every day we get a new person, you know. I think the baker's kid was the last one we got, and that was a couple years ago." She shrugged, smiling at Lucca. "People here are just really friendly, you know? They were all worried when Grandpa said your wrist was broken."

Lucca frowned, "... Sorry." She mumbled, not exactly sure what she was sorry for. It felt almost wrong to have people worry about her, after years of being alone. She shifted beside Candy as they walked, hands behind her back.

Candy shook her head, smile returning. "It's fine! You were recovering. They can't be mad at you for that! Now let's get going!" She giggled, picking up her pace until she was full-on running. Luca blinked, not noticing at first but soon running as well, quickly passing Candy. Candy yelled something in protest, speeding up to keep with her. The green eyed girl came to a halt just at the edge of some buildings and houses, all clustered together. Candy stopped just beside her, heaving out heavy breaths.

She looked at Luca and smiled, dramatically whisking her hand outward, "Welcome to town!" She announced. Luca stared in awe at the small buildings, some were shops and inns, others were homes for those who chose to live in town, unlike Candy's family. Everyone seemed to be busy, people going to and fro down the roads, sometimes giving quick hellos in passing. Everything smelled amazing, the smell of fresh bread mingling with a sweet, sugary smell.

"Hey Candy!" Someone called from an opened shop. The girl waved, grinning as they disappeared into the store. Lucca's eyes were wide as she took it all in, watching as more people waved and greeted the pair. There were so many sights and sounds; she didn't know what to even look at first.

There were even more sounds, though. People calling out, sounds of drunkards getting a bit to rough in a bar, and the more distinct sound of the ocean. She'd nearly forgotten; this was a very small island. Nearly the entire thing was surrounded steep cliffs that led to the ocean below. Even the docks were built into the side of the cliffs, with paths carved into the rocks down to them. Seagulls and other animals were very faint compared to the sounds of everything. People were laughing and talking boisterously in the streets. Everyone seemed to know everyone here; she shouldn't be surprised by that, actually. Candy made it no secret how close townspeople were to each other.

"Lucca, a pirate ship!" She blinked, focusing back on Candy's voice. She looked to where Candy was pointing and, lo and behold, she could make out a flag of a pirate ship just high enough to see over the buildings. She stared, mouth agape at the sight. She'd seen a pirate ship before, either from the small window of the room she shared with several other slaves, or from when she had fled. But, seeing like this, it seemed so different…

She hadn't realized that Candy had grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the docks. She was smiling the entire way, giggling a few times before stopping at the edge of the town, where the docks were located. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she looked down the sheer cliff and at the docks just below.

She glanced at Luca, "Do you think they'll answer us if we say hi?" She asked, eyes narrowed and lips quirked in a mischievous grin.

Her mind practically screamed, tightening her grip on Candy. "I don't think that's-"

"Hey! Pirates! Hey~" She called, already walking down the curving path. Luca attempted to stay put, but her efforts were futile. Candy easily dragged her with, continuing to smile. Oh god…

One of the men stood below the ship, on the dock. He looked up at the loud calling, confusion turning into jubilance in a matter of seconds. He turned and grinned and waved, arms in the air. He began walking, and Luca shifted further behind Candy, gripping her shirt. Candy glanced at her then back at the approaching man. He was still grinning. "Do we really look like pirates?" The man sounded so eager, eyes wide and grinning that insane smile that mirrored Candy's.

Candy just smiled and nodded, "Yeah! It's so cool~ And your flag! Are you guys new? Can we see your ship? ... Oh! I'm Candy. Candy Floss~" She grinned. "And this is Luca! Taffy Luca." Luca blinked, processing what she had just said before balking at her friend, trying to figure out where she'd come up with that name.

He grinned and nodded, "My name's Damien! Nice to meet you, kids. And yeah, we're sorta new. Just put the flag up a few days ago, actually. And I don't think Darren would appreciate you guys on the ship. He's trying to nap."

Candy blinked, tilting her head slightly. "Is he the captain...?" She asked.

Roger stared at her for a moment before laughing. Loudly. "Him? No! I'm the captain!" He grinned proudly.

"Really?! Oh, wow! The captain!" She nearly squealed, "One day, I'm gonna be a captain too!" She said in a matter-of-fact tone, a broad grin on her face. "And then I'm gonna sail all over the sea!" She beamed.

Damien grinned at this too, "Well, then I guess I'll see you in a few years. Maybe even both of you?" He said, glancing over at Luca, who shifted farther behind Candy.

She contemplated saying anything, seeing both of them looking at her. She took a short breath, "I'm gonna be a doctor." She answered, and for a moment she hadn't thought they had heard. But, lo and behold, the man grinned. Shocker.

"A doctor, great! Any fine ship needs one." He said thoughtfully. Lucca couldn't help but smile at that, nodding her head in agreement. They all looked up at a sudden new voice, coming from the top of the ship. A man stood there, calling down to Damien. "Oh, looks like I'm needed. Hey, why don't you two come back tomorrow or something! I can show you around the ship."

"Oh, yes please! We'll be here!" She was practically shaking with excitement, eyes wide with wonder and anticipation.

"Great! See you then." He saluted, turning and hurrying back to the ship's side. The two girls watched him climb up onto the ship before going out of sight.

Luca slowly loosened her grip on Candy, looking over to see her still beaming like an idiot. "Candy...?" She whispered, waving a hand in front of her friend's face.

Candy turned her attention to the brunette, face set in utter glee. "Did you hear that?! He thinks we could be pirates!" She nearly squealed, grabbing Luca's hands. "And you're gonna be a doctor!" She gave another one of her laughs.

Lucca smiled beside her, nodding her head. "Yes, I heard..." She mumbled.

"Ah~ I'm so excited for tomorrow now! Do you think he can show us some cool pirate moves? Oh! Maybe they have a ship's doctor! You could talk to them, if they do."

Lucca's head snapped up at that, staring at Candy with newfound interest. "Do you think they would…?"

"Well, yeah, you heard him: every ship needs a doctor. I doubt they'd last long without one. Not having a doctor would be like… Like not having a captain!"

She stared at her friend in slight awe, appreciation blooming in her chest. It was relieving to hear her say something like that. She huffed out a small breath, smiling. "Can we go to the bookstore now?" She asked quietly.

"Oh, yeah!" She gasped. She swung around and began walking back up the winding path back to the town. "We gotta get you doctor books and stuff!"

* * *

 **A/N:** _Hello, Fallen here. Yay, a longer chapter finally. The next one should be shorter again, though. I'm still terrible at figuring out where to cut the chapters._

 _A look at the town a bit, some new faces, a whole lot of dialogue. Fun time all around, amirite? I promise the pace will pick up eventually. I just have a lot written and a lot to cover. This is an entirely new era compared to just everything I've seen from the One Piece fandom- I'm in uncharted waters and I want to flesh out a story that really makes the whole thing feel as if it really could be the distant past._

 _A little warning: Next chapter will be two weeks from now- I'm going into surgery this coming week._


	4. Learning New Things

It was only on the way back home that Luca let go of Candy's shirt completely, reading her new books instead. She had two between one arm, one between her other arm and was reading another. Candy was continuing to talk, holding a bag in one arm and two more books in the other. content with Luca just humming in reply to something. "... And then maybe we could go swimming! I don't think the tides are too high today, and we're out of the Calm Belt." Luca stopped, closing her book. She'd forgotten; they hadn't used her abilities the entire time she'd been here. Candy stopped as well, looking over at her, "Lucca?"

"... I can't swim." She mumbled, placing her fourth book under her arm. Before Candy could say something, she spoke again. "I, um..." She sighed, holding out her palm. "Black snow." Suddenly, grayish-black flakes began coming from her hand, slowly consuming it. The black flakes mingled with the air, drifting off slightly.

Candy's eyes widened, and the grin on her face only grew. She reached out slowly for the ashen hand, nearly jumping in excitement when her hand went through. "A devil fruit..." She reached out again and grabbed Luca's hand became tangible once again, the ash dissipating until it was completely gone. "So cool~" She cooed, "Okay, so no swimming! But we can maybe still go to the beach! I can swim really good, so I'll make sure you don't drown!" She paused, "Ah- I haven't done my chores yet…"

Lucca rolled her eyes, shaking head her. "I'll help you get them done." She shifted her books and let Candy lead her back to the house. Candy didn't mention the ash the rest of the way, not even saying anything on the subject to her grandparents. She simply obediently grabbed two brooms and lead Luca out to the path towards the cliffs. She started sweeping away leaves and rocks, humming a tune quietly. Lucca followed suit, moving at a much slower pace.

The wind blew gently, disturbing the leaves as they were swept away. The sun was just beginning its descent, turning the sky all kinds of shades of pink and purple and orange. It was a peaceful moment, the sound of waves lolling against the small shore below them. A colony of gulls flew overhead, calling out to each other as they moved towards the open sea. Lucca paused to take it in for a second; she looked out past the cliffside and took a deep breath. The sweet air mingled with the smell of the ocean.

Suddenly, Candy looked back up at her. "Luca... we're gonna get off this island one day." She said out of nowhere, eyes set in determination as she stared at the smaller girl. "I mean it. I wanna sail the ocean, and become pirates! I know we can do it." Her voice was serious for once, but Lucca could obviously hear the cheeriness behind it. She let her broom drop, "I'll make sure of it! Okay?"

Lucca looked warily at her friend, smiling lightly and sighing, "How can we? I can't even swim." She nervously played with her braid, looking back down at her own broom. "We wouldn't make it far, Candy..."

She shook her head, "We'll make it! We'll make it all the way to the ends of the world!" She held out her pinky, "I promise, okay? No matter what, we're gonna make it! Even if we have to do it kicking and screaming, we're gonna get off this island."

She sighed again, closing her eyes. "Why do you have to look so determined..." She mumbled, wrapping her pinky around Candy's. "Okay, I'll go along with your crazy idea to become pirates. But only if you're the captain." She smirked, "Got it?"

Candy's eyes widened, mouth opened in surprise before she grinned and nodded. "You got it!" She giggled, "Captain Candy Floss, and her doctor Taffy Lucca!" She laughed, grabbing her broom and running back up the path towards the house.

 _Wha-_ "Where did the Taffy part come from?!" She yelled, running after Candy with her broom in hand. Candy never answered her, running into the house. Lucca kept up with her mostly, running into the kitchen shortly after she had.

"Finished already? Well, then could you two please set the table? Dinner will be ready soon." They both gave an "okay" before doing as they were told. Candy's grandpa walked in a few minutes later, grinning.

"I smell something good! Is it dinner already?" He gave a hearty laugh, much like Candy's. He sat down at the edge of the table as the grandma set out the food in the center. Lucca sat beside Candy, and finally the grandma across from them. When they asked how their day had gone, Candy beamed and started telling them all about going to different stores and all the things they bought. But she said nothing about meeting that pirate. Or about her devil fruit…

Candy gently nudged her, pulling her out of her thoughts. "And we wanted to go play down at the beach tomorrow, if that's okay!" She said, glancing at her for support. Lucca blinked and turned back to the older people, nodding her head. She tried to make herself look eager about the prospect.

Candy's grandpa rolled his eyes, huffing as he cut into his steak. "Fine, fine. You two can go down to the beach. But no funny business! You might be a good swimmer, Candy, but you still gotta watch out for the tides! They can get nasty, and the North isn't known for having warm waters."

Candy smiled, "I know, we'll be careful! And I'll show Lucca how to swim like a champ!" She boasted, turning back to her friend. There was a silent plea in her blue eyes; the brunette caught on almost immediately.

They wouldn't be telling the two anything about the pirates, nor about her abilities. She didn't completely understand why, but she trusted Candy to have a good reason.

* * *

"Good night, Grammy! Good night, Grandpa!" Candy called down the stairs, leaning over the railing. There was a brief reply before she began climbing up the stairs once again. Lucca followed after her more slowly, taking her time getting to the top.

They got ready for bed in mostly silence with Candy only humming as she brushed her teeth and hair. Lucca continued to watch her, trying to think of how to voice what she wanted to ask. She knew Candy would answer, but she wondered what kind of reply she'd give her.

"Candy?" She said finally as they both began climbing into their beds.

The blue haired looked up, a smile still on her face. "Yeah?" She whispered.

"... Why didn't you tell them about the pirates? Or about me?" She asked softly, staring down at the bed frame.

"Oh. That?" She hummed, her grin dropping briefly. "They wouldn't like it, that's why. Grandpa used to be a Marine."

She looked back at her friend, brows furrowed. "Really?"

She nodded, "Yeah, he doesn't talk about it much. And I love Grandpa, but he hates pirates." She shrugged her shoulders and climbed into bed, "There's a lot I don't tell him- Grammy probably knows, though. Or she's gonna figure it out. She's good at knowing stuff."

Lucca just hummed, staring at her friend oddly. "Sounds almost ominous." She mused.

Candy laughed at that, shaking her head. "Grammy couldn't be mean if she tried! She just has… Mystery intuition." She concluded, eyes narrowed playfully.

Lucca chuckled softly at that, climbing into her own bed. "Okay… If you're sure." She laid down, arms wrapping around the pillow beneath her head.

"Hey." She blinked, lifting her head as the blue haired girl spoke. "We're gonna be the greatest pirates ever, okay?" She whispered. "No matter what."

Lucca sighed, plopping her head back down onto the pillow. "Whatever you say… Captain." She replied, smiling at the way Candy beamed at her answer.

* * *

The sun rose late the next day, not beginning its climb until well past six. Lucca, however, was still up at five like any other day. It was a habit; one she didn't mind keeping. She rolled out of bed, eyes still heavy with sleep and her hair sticking out in all kinds of directions. She took a deep, slow breath and stretched, being extra mindful of her right wrist. It still ached from so little use. She glanced at the other bed.

Candy rolled over in her sleep, pulling the blanket completely off her body. She snored softly, oblivious to the world. Lucca nearly laughed at it; she looked ridiculously comfortable for being in such an uncomfortable position. Her arms were shoved under her head with the pillow tossed somewhere on the floor, and her legs were partially hanging off the bed. Lucca smiled at the sight before meandering to the bathroom.

She got ready quickly, washing her face and taming her hair. She pulled on one of Candy's old shirts and a pair of shorts and called it good. She heard a loud yawn from the bedroom, signalling that the blue haired girl was waking up.

She stepped out of the bathroom and back to the room. Candy was still lying down, but her eyes were sleepily open now. "Good morning." She whispered, earning a lazy smile from her friend.

"It's too early…" She whined half heartedly, stretching out on her bed.

Lucca hummed lightly, "Then sleep more." She replied, earning another whine from the girl.

"But you're up so I gotta get up too!" She announced. She sat up straight and threw her feet over the edge, still half asleep. "And we gotta do stuff today-"

Lucca nodded her head, "Yes, I know." She answered as she began making her bed. "But you have chores to do before that." She pointed at the other.

"Chores are boring. Pirates are better." She pouted, arms crossing tightly over her chest. Lucca just stared at her, waiting. A short moment passed and she sighed, letting her arms flop down beside her. "Fine! I'll do my chores…"

She smiled and nodded her head, watching as Candy begrudgingly stood and made her way towards the bathroom. Before the door shut, though, Lucca spoke up with a grin. "You know, if captains are the best at everything, wouldn't that mean they're also the best at chores?" She mused.

Candy came to an immediate halt and swung around to face her. Her eyes were wide and mouth agape as she processed what the other had said. "Really?" She asked slowly.

Lucca just shrugged and gave her a small, sly grin. "Yeah, it makes sense, doesn't it? How can you be a great captain if you're not even the best at chores?"

Candy immediately got defensive, brows furrowed and fists up. "Then… Then I'm gonna be the best at chores! I'll get them done before Grammy is even awake!" She swore, puffing her cheeks in defiance.

Lucca smiled, waving her hand dismissively. "Okay, Captain. I believe in you."

She made an indignant noise, scowling at the brunette. "You better, 'cause I will!" She barked before turning back to the bathroom.

Lucca watched as she closed the door with a small smile. Candy got worked up so fast about almost anything. It hadn't taken the girl very long to realize that fact. She was a very passionate, if not reckless, person.

* * *

Chores were done by seven. Candy swept and dusted everything in sight and made sure to put the trash out for the collectors later. She did it all in record time, just finishing sweeping the path outside as her grandmother began to rouse for the day. The sun was steadily rising, bringing the birds and people with it. The island seemed to come to life with the sun; hardly anyone woke early if they didn't have to.

Lucca, for her part, still wasn't allowed to do many chores or tasks. She made her and Candy's beds before setting the table in anticipation for breakfast. Candy came in just as the old clock in the hall chimed, collapsing into a chair and huffing. "There, I did all my chores!" She huffed proudly.

Lucca clapped her hands, "That's wonderful, Captain." She smiled, earning a small pout from the other.

"Oh? Are you two already up?" They both looked up as Candy's grammy entered the room, eyes crinkled in a smile.

"Morning, Grammy!" Candy singsonged. She sat up straight and rested her elbows on the table. "Grammy, I got all my chores done!" She boasted.

"Oh, did you? That's lovely…" She chuckled, already beginning to make breakfast. Strips of bacon and eggs were set onto the kitchen counter, ready to be cooked up. "Got a big day planned?"

"Yeah! We wanna go to the beach, and Lucca wanted to go see the bookstore, and I wanted to go look at the boats-" She started, eyes bright with mischief.

"The boats, huh?" She mused, brows raised curiously. Lucca shifted in her seat, staring at her in worry. She had no doubt the older woman knew exactly what they were up to. "Don't cause too much trouble, now. You know how much the old man worries." She said teasingly, voice light as she smiled at the two.

Candy offered her a cheeky grin, "No promises, Grammy!"

The older woman chuckled, shaking her head. She cracked some eggs over a pan and threw bacon into another. She hummed a light tune as she cooked, leaving Candy and Lucca to wait patiently at the table. Lucca still looked between the two with unease, stomach churning with apprehension. Candy just looked at her and smiled, eyes crinkling as she grinned in reassurance. As Lucca looked as her as well, she felt the knot in her gut loosening just a bit.

The brunette nearly jumped out of her skin as a loud thump disrupted the calm quiet in the kitchen, followed by a loud curse. Candy's grandmother sighed and looked over her shoulder at the two girls. "Candy, could you go make sure that old man hasn't broken anything?"

She giggled and nodded, zipping towards the stairs without a second thought. Lucca stayed planted in her seat, staring at where her friend had disappeared to.

"Don't worry one bit, Lucca." Her head snapped up as the old woman spoke to her, a gentle smile on her face. "That man has no coordination when he's barely awake." She laughed lightly, "Clumsy as a newborn giraffe, I tell you…"

Lucca smiled, the knot in her stomach easing once again with the woman's calm demeanor. She let out a breathy laugh at the image of a baby giraffe trying to walk, shoulders relaxing as she leaned back in her chair.

"Grammy said I get the bacon if you break anything!" They heard Candy yell from upstairs, earning an indignant response.

Lucca looked at her, perplexed, but she simply laughed and shook her head at the girl's antics. Slowly, the brunette found herself laughing as well.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Hi, Fallen Here. I know this chapter was a day late, but I literally got home at like 9 and immediately crashed on my bed. I was so tired, but I'm back. Surgery went fine, I no longer have an appendix, and I'm ready to write this again._

 _This might be a filler chapter? I don't know, either way things should be taking off next chapter. Also, I might be coming out with another story, so some weeks this might not update because I'll be posting chapters to that other story. It's a mess right now._

 _And yes, Lucca has the Ash-Ash Fruit, a logia type. Fun Fact: I have a headcannon that all devil fruits have a perfect opposite, which renders both abilities void on each other. Like Mud and Sand, or Smoke and Fire, or... Ash and Lava._


End file.
